Carrier for dispatch systems



30 1930 F. w. MacMARrIN f 1,787,206

CRRIERFOR DISPATCH SYSTEMS Filed May l, 1930 il) i Lil r i E I w s .y

jjv'f\\ Wiki 2l ays' Patented Dec. 30, 1930 U ir i FRANK W. MACIVIARTIN, OF SYRAC'USE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAIVISON COM- PANY, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATON OF MASSACHUSETTS CARRIER. FOR DISPATCH SYSTEMS 'Application filed May 1,

This invention pertains to carrier dis-v patch systems and more particularly to a special type of carrier for use in such a system, for example, as a signal means for informing an operator at one station of conditions at or the requirements of a remote station, or alternatively to constitute a signal controlling pilot for a series of ordinary carriers in a selective switching system. In some of the more complicated conveyor systems,provision is made' for sendingcarriers from any station to any other station of the system, usually by way of a transfer or relay station to which all carriers go and from which they are forwarded to their ultimate destinations by redispatching operators. Under certain conditions of use, the original stock of carriers assigned to a given station may become depleted, thus requiring replenishment, and one utility of the present in-y vention is found in its employment as a means for informing an operator at a supply station located, for example, at the central transfer station, of the need of empty carriers at the station whose supply is exhausted. Moreover, in systems of the type under consideration, it is common to discontinue the use of certain stations from time to time, for example, a station which serves a department open only at certain hours of the day. When such a station is closed, it is undesirable to have carriers dispatched thereto, and the present invention provides means useful in informing the transfer station dispatcher that the given station is not in commission.

Again, in certain systems the present improved carrier may be useful as a switch controlling or operator signalling pilot for a trainof ordinary carriers. Other useful applications of the present invention will doubtless occur to those skilled in the art.

Since the usual carrier is not ordinarily opened at-the transfer station, it is not suited to convey a message or information to 1930. kSerial No. 448,894.

the redispatching or reserve supply operator, and on the other hand, even were an ordinary carrier to be provided with distinctive, external marks or indicia, to serve as a signal carrier, it would not be desirable for the purpose since its structural similarity to ordinary carriers would inevitably lead to its use as an ordinary carrier with resultant confusion and probable absenceof the signal carrier from its proper location when needed. f

The present invention provides a device, herein referred to for convenience as a carrier by reason of its resemblance externally to thefusual carrier of the system in which it is to be used, buty whichis permanently closed to prevent its use as an ordinary carrier for transporting articles. Thisspecial carrier may be provided with any suitable type of indicia, for example, distinctive coloration of the entire carrier, colored bands, or'selected areas, numerals, words, letters, or any desirablev combination thereof, and such indicia may be arranged to permit variations in the combination provided, as for'example by the use of relatively movable index rings, disks, or the like,v such as are used upon ordinary carriers to indicate their destinations.

In the drawings the single figure illustrates, in side elevation and partly in section, one desirable embodiment of the invention by way of example, the embodiment chosen for illustration being adapted for use in a pneumatic dispatch system.

Referring to the drawing, the carrier chosen for illustration resembles in general a type of4 carrier commonly termed a message carrier and used in pneumatic dispatch systems for conveying` papers, memoranda, etc. from station to station. This carrier has a head lat one end comprisingk a metallic or other suitable closure for the end of the carrier, such head having a flange l, the resilient buffer 2 of felt or the like, and the washer 3 f.;

adapted to make air-tight contact with the inner wall of the conveyor tube. The body 4; of the carrier is tubular and preferably of more or less resilient material, for example, leather, rubberized cloth or the like, and is fixed at one end to the Hange l in any suitable way, for instance, by rivets, not shown. The other end of the body is preferably provided with an enlargement, here shown as a resilient skirt 5, shaped to fit snugly within the conveyor tube.

In accordance with the present invention the last-named end of the carrier, which in message carriers of this type is usually left open, is permanently closed by means of a plug or cap 6 of leather, rubber, or the like, preferably having a flange 7 secured to the end portion 4 of the carrier body by stitches 8 or other equivalent means, for example, staples, rivets, etc.

As illustrated, the body of the carrier is preferably tubular to reduce the weight, although a solid carrier body of liquid material might be used, and the wall of the tubular body is continuous and imperforate, so that the inner space or chamber of the carrier is wholly inaccessible for the introduction of articles, and thus the carrier can not be usedA in .substitution for the ordinary carriers of the system.

As illustrated, the carrier body is provided with distinctive indicia, for example, a wide color band 9, and if desired one or more bands 10 of a contrasting color or of a width different from the first band. The first band may, for example, be used to designate one of a plurality of groups of stations on a certain floor of a building, and the second band to indicate the particular floor. The body of the carrier is also provided with a number (preferably written) to designate, for example, the normal number of carriers assigned to a given station, and also with a numeral to designate the station of the given group to which the particular carrier belongs.

Preferably duplicate words and numbers may be placed at opposite sides of the carrier to facilitate identification. Obviously, other arrangements of indicia may be provided in accordance with the special purpose for which the carrier is intended.

For example, if desired, one of these special carriers might be provided with a distinctve color band 1l to indicate to the redisa patching operator or the carrier supply operwith spaced metallic bands or the like as may be necessary in the particular system for automatically actuating selected switches.

1While the carrier has been referred to as of pneumatic type and as circular in crosssection, the invention is equally applicable to carriers of other shapes and types and to other than pneumatic systems, and it is to be understood that various changes in size, shape and proportion of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalents, may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

l claim:

l. A carrier for use in a dispatch system, said carrier being of such external shape and dimensions as to permit it to be sent through the system in substantially the same Way as the usual carrier employed in the system, but being so constructed'and arranged as to preclude its use as a conveyor for articles.

2.'A carrier for use in a carrier dispatch system, said carrier having a hollow body portion defining an inner chamber and being of a. shape generally similar to, that of a normal carrier used in the system, and means permanently closing said chamber to prevent introduction of articles thereinto.

3. A carrier for use in a Carrier dispatch system, said carrier having a tubular body provided with a head at one end and a permanent closure for its opposite end, the circumferential wall of the body being c0ntinuous and devoid of any opening giving access to the interior ofthe bod-y.

4f. A signal carrier for use in a dispatch system, said carrier being of such external shape and dimensions as to permit it to be sent through the system in the same way as the usual carrier, but being so constructed and arranged as to prevent its use as a-conveyor for articles and having on its exterior surface a distinctively colored,4 area together with index characteristics designating its point of origin in the system.

5. A carrier for use in a pneumatic dispatch system, said carrier having an elongate'body provided with a head at one end and an enlargement at the opposite end and being adapted for transmission through the system like an ordinary carrier, said carrier being so constructed and arranged as to preclude its use as a conveyor for articles, and being provided upon its, outer surface between the head and enlargement with a plurality of color bands.

6. A hollow carrier for usein a carrier dispatch system, said carrier being capable of transmission through the system in the same way as the usual carrier but having its interior space completely and permanently closed to prevent introduction of articles thereinto, said carrier being provided externally with indicia designating its point of origin in the system.

lfi

7. A hollow tubular carrier for use in a pneumatic dispatch system, said carrier havlng outer Walls permanently and completely closing its interior space t0 prevent access thereto, said carrier having a head at one end, the carrier being provided exteriorl With indicia to show the station to Which it 1s assigned and the number of carriers assigned to said station.'

`Signed by me at Syracuse, N. Y., this twenty-ninth day of April, 1930.

FRANK W. MACMARTIN. 

